Chapter 1: Tech Level & Manufacturing Constraints

Created by Sarah Choi (prompt writer using ChatGPT)

Tech Level & Manufacturing Constraints (Casting, Sheet Metal, 3D Print, Handcraft)

Props are economic artifacts. Their forms, materials, and surface language emerge from the manufacturing ecosystems that make them possible. When tech level is clear, the world feels coherent and players infer faction identity and environment fit in a glance. This article gives prop concept artists and production artists a shared framework to translate manufacturing realities—handcraft, casting/forging, sheet metal, machining, injection molding, composites, and 3D printing—into believable silhouettes, proportions, and finishes that survive camera distance and optimization.

1) Tech level as a worldbuilding dial

Tech level is not a single ladder; it’s a palette of capabilities: energy density, precision, repeatability, tooling scale, supply chain reach, and quality control. A village blacksmith with excellent skill may produce a tighter blade than a collapsing factory with worn tooling. Treat tech level as a matrix (process × control × logistics × culture) rather than a rank. Decide which dials each faction can turn, then lock visual signatures that flow from those realities: edge crispness, seam types, fastener families, and ornament practices.

2) Material availability and cost signals

Materials embody logistics. Abundant materials yield generous sections and standardized parts; scarce materials create spliced constructions, patchwork repairs, and visible thrift. Softwoods, wrought iron, and leather suggest local supply; aluminum extrusions, PETG, and carbon fiber imply trade networks and specialized shops. Price shows in surface labor: hand‑filed facets, peened rivets, or ornate chasing express labor‑rich economies; bead‑blasted uniformity and perfect draft angles signal capital‑rich tooling. Bake these signals into silhouette before you paint.

3) Handcraft (carving, forging, joinery): low‑tooling, high‑skill

Forms & silhouette. Slight asymmetries; faceted hand‑guided planes; swelling where material must resist stress. Profiles are often thicker at transitions. Negative spaces are generous for tool access.

Joints & details. Mortise‑tenon, scarf joints, dovetails, lashing, pegs, clenched nails, collars. Rivet heads vary. Forge‑weld seams and hammer texture read at mid distance.

Surface language. Tool marks, grain direction, burnishing on grip zones. Finishes are oils, shellacs, wax, simple lacquers. Ornament tends to follow structure (bands, collars, caps).

Constraints. Limited interchangeability; parts are custom‑fit. Tight tolerances are rare outside masterwork pieces. Large identical runs are impractical.

Design cues. Expose joinery; celebrate irregularities. Avoid impossible symmetry. Annotate hand clearance and clamping logic in callouts for production.

4) Casting & forging (sand, investment, die; hot/cold forge)

Forms & silhouette. Casting loves flowing blends, constant draft, and filleted intersections; forging loves elongated grains, flared heads, and upset transitions. Cast ribs and bosses thicken where loads enter a wall.

Joints & details. Parting lines, ejector pin marks, riser stubs (cast); fullers, tang shoulders, forged collars (forge). Fasteners are studs, cast‑in bosses, cotter pins.

Surface language. Sand‑cast textures, chilled edges, machining clean‑ups on critical faces. Forged surfaces show die flow and hammer planishing.

Constraints. Draft angles (1–3°+), uniform wall thickness to avoid sinks; cores add cost/defect risk. Post‑machining required for precision.

Design cues. Respect draft in silhouettes; let fillets be visible enough to hold a highlight band. Place functional planes where a secondary machining pass is plausible.

5) Sheet metal (stamp, bend, brake, deep draw)

Forms & silhouette. Thin walls with hems, flanges, beads, louvers. Stiffness comes from folds and ribs. Large panels step between heights to avoid oil‑canning; edges roll or hem for safety.

Joints & details. Spot weld dimples, rivet rows, clinch nuts, fastener lines on pitch. Tabs and slots locate parts. Bead patterns repeat on grid.

Surface language. Grain from brushing; paint orange peel; galvanized spangle; wear at corners and handle cutouts.

Constraints. Minimum bend radius, relief cuts at corners, limits on deep draws without wrinkles. Holes avoid bend lines.

Design cues. Express structure with visible flanges and beads. Align fasteners to a module pitch; avoid sculpted blob forms that sheet cannot produce.

6) Machining (mill, lathe, EDM): precision subtractive

Forms & silhouette. Prismatic blocks with stepped planes, filleted internal corners (tool radius), sharp external arrises. Turned cylinders with shoulders and grooves.

Joints & details. Threaded bores, counterbores, dowel holes, keyways. Fastener access clear and orthogonal. T‑slots and dovetails for sliding.

Surface language. End‑mill scallops, tool paths, knurling, ground flats. Anodized or blued finishes show crisp edge highlights.

Constraints. Tool reach limits, internal sharp corners impossible without EDM; cost scales with time on machine.

Design cues. Celebrate planar logic; avoid undercuts without reason. Provide wrench flats and tool approach paths.

7) Injection molding & elastomers

Forms & silhouette. Complex shells with consistent wall thickness, living hinges, snaps, and hidden bosses. Soft radii, draft everywhere. Overmolded grips.

Joints & details. Split lines, screw bosses, clip features, ultrasonic weld seams, knit lines near gates.

Surface language. Mold textures (MATTE/LEATHER), gloss control, flow lines at thick‑thin transitions.

Constraints. Draft (1–2°+), uniform walls, coring to avoid sinks, no trapped geometry without slides. Tooling cost encourages large runs.

Design cues. Use consistent radii sets; keep details proud enough to read at distance. Place split lines where they’re plausible and aesthetically helpful.

8) Composites & laminates (hand layup, prepreg, sandwich)

Forms & silhouette. Shells with compound curvature; stiff from section depth rather than ribs. Sandwich panels with exposed honeycomb at cuts (if cheap).

Joints & details. Bonded flanges, inserts, hard points, peel‑ply textures, scarf joints.

Surface language. Weave prints, glossy resin pools at radii, paint chips revealing fiber. Edges often chamfered to avoid delam.

Constraints. Fiber directions matter; tight inside radii difficult; drilling introduces stress‑risers; repair changes appearance.

Design cues. Align seams with stress flows; add hard points where fasteners appear. Avoid tiny threaded bosses in raw composite.

9) Additive manufacturing (FDM, SLA/DLP, SLS/SLM)

Forms & silhouette. Topology‑optimized lattices, internal channels, integrated hinges. Freedom to merge parts—within process limits.

Joints & details. Printed threads (coarser), heat‑set inserts, snap fits tuned to layer strength. Lattice windows.

Surface language. Layer lines (FDM), powder‑sinter grain (SLS), crisp but brittle resin edges (SLA). Support scars on undersides.

Constraints. Anisotropy (weaker across layers), overhang limits, post‑cure/anneal, size envelopes. Cost per part less sensitive to complexity.

Design cues. Express impossible‑to‑machine internal geometry where it serves function (cooling, lightness). Keep minimum edge thickness for LOD survival; place support‑likely faces away from hero views.

10) Electronics & assembly logic as silhouette drivers

Tech level shows in harnessing: loose looms and hand‑twisted pairs (low), clipped and braided runs with strain relief and keyed connectors (middle), blind‑mate backplanes and flex circuits (high). Expose thoughtful cable sweeps, service loops, and keyed ports to tell truth about maintenance culture.

11) Faction identity through manufacturing signature

Define each faction by its default processes and exceptions:

  • Frontier Cooperative: handcraft + repair culture. Mixed woods/iron, visible patches, reused fasteners. Silhouettes chunky with protective collars.
  • Industrial Syndicate: sheet metal + machining. Panel rhythms, bead stiffness, DIN‑like graphics. Modular racks and standardized carts.
  • Clinical Tech Bloc: injection‑molded shells over machined cores. Hidden screws, tight seams, elastomer grips. Neutral palettes with accent bands.
  • Lattice Ascendancy: additive as default. Skeletal forms, lattices, printed joints. Matte SLS grain with post‑dyed hues.
  • High Rite Guild: forged/cast metal with ceremonial surface finishing. Balanced silhouettes, caps and collars, engraved but structure‑aware ornament.

Carry these signatures across variants so recognition survives at silhouette distance.

12) Environment fit: climate, dust, salt, radiation, bio

Hot/dry. Dust‑proof louvers, larger clearances, sacrificial filters, matte finishes to reduce glare. Handles sized for gloves.

Cold/ice. Oversized buttons, de‑icing grooves, drain paths, low‑temp elastomers. Avoid tight tolerances that seize.

Marine/salt. Corrosion‑resistant alloys, isolating washers, sacrificial anodes. Rounded edges to resist paint flake.

Jungle/wet. Mold‑resistant materials, sealed seams, debris‑shedding ribs, raised feet.

Radiation/clean. Smooth, wipeable surfaces; minimal texture; captive fasteners; color cues for contamination zones.

Design these constraints into silhouettes (ribs, shields, flares) rather than adding decals later.

13) Economy: throughput, repair, and lifecycle

Throughput. Casting/injection reward big runs and identical parts; handcraft favors bespoke hero props. Sheet metal excels at mid‑volume iterative changes. Additive bridges prototyping to low‑volume end‑use.

Repairability. Low tech → replaceable sub‑assemblies and visible fasteners; high tech → sealed modules and swap units. Decide what the world repairs vs. discards and reflect it in access panels and fastener types.

Lifecycle. Show patina appropriate to process: peened repairs, weld overlays, replaced panels, re‑dyed composites. Lifecycle logic keeps variants believable.

14) Readability & silhouette across processes

Map process to read tiers: casting/forging provide chunky first‑read masses; sheet metal provides second‑read rhythms (beads, fastener rows); machining provides crisp third‑read detail; injection molding shapes the mid‑read with controlled radii; additive introduces negative‑space drama. Balance these so first read survives gameplay distance; reserve micro‑details for hero shots.

15) Standards, modules, and interface contracts

A believable economy runs on standards: rail pitches, thread families, gasket sections, connector keys, rack units. Choose a few and stick to them; propagate across props to enable kitbashing and repairs in fiction. Document interface planes and keep them orthographic‑friendly for production.

16) Handoff for production: what to annotate

  • Process assumptions per part (e.g., “Shell: injection‑molded ABS, 2 mm walls, 1.5° draft”).
  • Minimum radii, edge thickness, and bevel step widths for highlight control.
  • Split lines, parting lines, bend lines, and tool approach directions.
  • Fastener and insert specs; service clearances; LOD survival edges and voids.
  • Environment adaptations (seal class, drain paths, glove clearances).

These notes protect manufacturing truth through modeling, retopo, and optimization.

17) Common failure patterns and fixes

Impossible geometry for chosen process. Mold‑unfriendly undercuts, sheet‑metal blobs. Fix: reassign process or redesign with draft, flanges, or split parts.

Process salad. Too many mixed signatures on one prop. Fix: pick a dominant process and demote the rest to sub‑assemblies.

Decal‑only worldbuilding. Stickers try to sell economy. Fix: embed process cues in silhouette and joinery.

Environment denial. Props ignore climate. Fix: add louvers, drains, anodes, or insulation that alter contour.

Faction drift. Variants lose signature. Fix: codify process tells (bead pitch, seam logic) and enforce in reviews.

18) Workflow to ground design in manufacturing

  1. Choose faction tech matrix (process dominance, control, logistics).
  2. Pick materials the faction can actually source; define cost signals.
  3. Select a primary process per sub‑assembly; write three non‑negotiable cues (joinery, seams, surface behavior).
  4. Thumbnail silhouettes that express those cues. Carve negative spaces for tooling and service access.
  5. Add environment adaptations that change contour.
  6. Build an ortho with process annotations and interface standards.
  7. Validate with a quick blockout and camera tests; run shrink/blur passes.
  8. Handoff with a “manufacturing truth” sheet and LOD survival plan.

Manufacturing is story. When you design props through the lens of tech level, process constraints, materials, faction identity, and environment fit, your silhouettes stop being generic and start carrying economic meaning. Protect those truths from sketch to ship, and your world will feel made—because in every contour, it is.